Firearm



B. B. HOLMES.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-18, 1921.

1A1 6,828. Patented y 23, 1922.

I NVENTOR erase are B. HOLMES, OF NEW YORK, N, Y.

FIREARM.

Application filed January 18, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BRADFORD B. HOLMES, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Firearms,set forth in the annexed specification; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to fire arms and more particularly to cartridgesadapted to be fired in fire arms such as pistols, automatic rifles andmachine -guns.

In my application for U. S. Patent, Serial Number 436262 filed January10, 1921, I

described and claimed a fire arm, the salient features of which were avaned projectile set in motion b a cup shaped piston upon the explosiono a powder charge, and an automatic muzzle brake or check to arrest orretard the motion of the piston at the muzzle, but arranged to permitthe passage of the projectile; the retention of said piston in themuzzle serving as a plug to prevent the usual blast of gas at themuzzle; a gas escape valve and silencer thus providing silent andcontrolled escape of the powder gases without noise, flash, disturbingeffect on the flight of the .projectile'and' excessive recoil; andfinally permitting the escape of said piston after almost all of thepowder gas had been released.

In the above method of firinga projectile, appreciable time, probablyseveral seconds, is necessary between shots, which while not detrimentalin the case of' cannon, would be prohibitive for its use in the formoutlined in the above application for very rapid fire arms, such asautomatic pistols, rifles and machine guns.

The present invention is the adaption of the above principles to rapidfire arms.

It is a cartridge adapted to be fired in a pistol, rifle, machine gun,small cannon, and, in general, Wheneverrapid fire is wanted. Thecartridge is adapted to fit into a gun barrel or other holder for the.purposes of giving it direction, and strengthto resist rupture onfiring.

Generally stated, the cartridge consists of. a case which extendsforward of the pro-' jectile and acts as agun barrel. The case isprovided with a detonator, a powder charge, a projectile preferablyequipped Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1922. Serial No. 438,099.

with vanes to keep it head-on in flight, a cupshaped piston ofpreferably greater diameter than the projectile attached to the proectle and adapted to impart motion to the pro ectile upon ignition of thepowder charge, and a cushion to stop the piston at the end of itstravel, thereby causing the pro ectile to break loose therefrom andcontlnue on its flight. Means are provided to retain the cup andprojectile in position and prevent'movement of said parts until thepowder gas has developed nearly maximum pressure. Additional means areprovided to retain the cushion in position to arrest the motion of thecup, and further means are provided to permit, when desirable, thethrottled escape of gas from the case. A diaphragm at the front endseals and Waterproofs the case. All the above is combined in a cartridgeof unitary form adapted'to be fired in a fire arm.

The above and other features 0 the invention will be more fullydescribed and explained in the following specifications and accompanyingdrawings of a preferred'embodiment, in which,

Fig. 1 is an outside side view tridge.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal axial section of Fig. lin firing position in agun or holder.

Fig. 3 is a modified form of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of Fig. 2 on line A A omitting the gun.

Fig. '5 is a cross section of Fig. 3 on line B B omitting the gun.

The numeral ,1 indicates a cartridge case. The base of the case 2'isprovided with a detonator 3 and a hole 4 through which the flame fromthe detonator passes to ignite the powder charge 5. In the rear of thecase is a cup-shaped piston 6 w1th the open end of the cup towards thebase 2.

The piston is normally secured in the position shown by an annulargroove 7 rolled into the cylindrical wall of the case l, which preventsmovement of the piston after the ignition of the powder until the gaspressure rises to a point necessary to force the piston forward,flattening out the groove.

A projectile 8 is attached to the piston 6 by a rivet 9 passing througha hole in the forward end of the piston. The projectile is formed withvanes or fins 8 at the rear to keep it head-on in its flight through theair. The projectile may be made in many shapes, Figs. 2 and 3 showingtwo examples. In the pro ectile in Fig. 3, the forward end is of acarformed with a conical orifice 10 having its base at the forward endof the projectile, which is split at 11 so that on hitting its targetthe forward end opens out on the split .thus giving it the disruptiveeffect of an expansive bullet and enabling a long thin projectile toexecute great damage and shocking power. I

Near the forward end of the case 1 are circular cushioning rings 12which are retained in position at their front end by shaping over theforward end of the case at 13 and at their rear end by a slight annulargroove 14 rolled into the case after assembly. A diaphragm 13 heldbetween cushion 12 and end 13 serves to seal the cartridge and make itwater tight.

The-above elements are combined into a complete cartridge of unitaryform.

As the case 1 is not made strong enough to resist the gas pressure atthe moment of ignition of the powder, it must be supported in a barrelor holder 15, and as the thin wall of the casing end 13 is notsufiicient to support the cushion 12 at the moment of impact of thepiston 6 upon the cushion, the barrel-or holder is provided with anannular shoulder 16 to support the end 13 of the cartridge. Shoulder 16has a hole 16 to permit the passage of the projectile. The barrel 15will also have a breech block 17 or some similar device to close itsrear end and a suitable firing pin 18 and firing mechanism to explodethe detonator 3.

It will be noted that when the piston 6 moves forward flattening out theannular groove 7, it will increase the length of the cartridge byflattening the groove. This increase in length of the cartridge must beprovided for and may be taken care of in two ways. A. By'fixing theforward'end of the cartridge 13 firmly in position as shown in Fig. 2and permitting the base 2 to push the breech block 17 slightly to therear. This would provide a source of power for operating the automaticmechanism for ejecting the old cartridge case and feeding in and firinga new cartridge as is customary in automatic pistols, rifles and machineguns. B. By fixing the base 2 of the cartridge firmly in position andleaving a small space 19 between the front end 13 of the cartridge andthe shoulder 16 of the barrel. Upon flattening out the groove 7 of thecase 1, the

forward end 13 ofthe casegwill be pushed tightly against the shoulder16. (See Fig.

being inserted in the gun as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and detonated by pin18, the powder burns until the pressure is great enough to flatten outthe groove 7 whereupon the piston and projectile leap forward acquiringtremendous velocity because of the high of pr gjectile with Thecartridge functions as followsr'After 2:

large area of the piston in proportion to the mass of piston andprojectile. The piston strikes the cushioning rings 12 held by the frontend 13 of the cartridge and supported by the shoulder 16 of the barrel,and is brought to rest by them; its kinetic energy being absorbed byflattening out or deforming. the cushions 12. The cushions should bemade of softer and more ductile metal than the piston.

Upon arrest of the piston, the projectile breaks away from the pistoneither by pulling the rivet head through the hole in the forward end ofthe piston as in Fig. 2 and allowing the throttled escape of the powdergases through the hole thus left in the piston with the result that thenoise and flash of discharge are greatly reduced, or the rivet may besmall with a large head as in Fig. 3 allowing the projectile to tearloose by breaking the rivet which thus blocks the hole in the piston,seals all gas in the cartridge case andeliminates concussion and flash.In either case the projectile passes through hole 16 and is not subjectto any muzzle blast tending to deflect it from its true line of flight.

Owing to resistance applied by groove 7 to the piston, most of thepowder will be burned before the piston moves. The work done on thepiston is thus principally by expansion of gas and when the piston isbrought to rest against the cushion 12, the gas pressure will berelatively low. If the cartridge is large in diameter and if the wallthin as in Fig. 2, this gas pressure may be great enough to causebursting of the cartridge when unsupported by the barrel 15, but if thediameter of the cartridge is small with relatively thick walls as inFig. 3, the case may be able to resist such bursting. In the former case(Fig. 2) the hole in the piston is opened allowing rapid drop in gaspressure so that bursting will not occur upon the taking away of thebarrel support 15, but in thelatter case (Fig. 3) the cartridge may beremoved from the barrel while still subject to the pressure of the gasesconfined within it.

As the powder gases and piston are arrested, it is apparent that theonly final recoil will be that given by the projectile.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that when inserted in a gun orholder adapted. for it, this cartridge permits: a

1.- The attainment of very high velocity he utilization of a relativelymall powder charge and a Avery slight recoil with 4. A short barrellength.

5. Also that it permits the-firing of a pro-, jectile designed tomaintain a head-on flight due to its conformation and air resistancewithout any disturbing influence acting on it at the moment of dischargewhich would tend to deflect it from its true line of flight.

6. That such a projectile may be very long and tapered at both ends togive minimum air resistance and consequently long range for a given massand velocity.

7. That rifling and bore or are eliminated, and

8. Due to the retention or throttled escape of gases from the bore, noor little flash, and

9. No or little noise accompany the discharge.

10. It is also apparent that the use of this cartridge permits rapidfire such as is necessary in automatic fire arms, and that 11. Bywithdrawing the cartridge case and gas content after each shot, most ofthe heat will be withdrawn and little heat imparted to the gun or holderitself.

There are other ways in which this inventi'on may be realized, and Icontemplate its use in other relations, so I do not restrict myself tothe form of the preferred embodiment herein illustrated, except asdefined in the claims.

I claim 1. In a device of the class described, in combination, anexplosive charge; a detonator to ignite said charge; a projectile; apiston adapted to impart motion to said projectile upon the ignition ofthe explosive charge; cushioning means arranged to permit the passage ofsaid projectile but to arrest the motion of said piston, and a cartridgecase containing the said parts and forming .with them a single unitarystructure.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, an explosivecharge; a detonator to ignite said charge; a vaned projectile; a cupshaped piston secured to said projectile and arranged to impartinotionto said projectile upon ignition of the explosive charge; cushioningmeans adapted to permit barrel erosion the unobstructed passage of saidprojectile I but to arrest the motion of said piston; and a cartridgecase containing the said elements and forming with them a single unitarystructure.

3. In the combination of claim 1, the added feature of means preventingthe movement of said piston and projectile until the generation of highexplosive pressures in said cartridge case.

4. In the combination of claim 1, the additional feature of an annulardepression in said cartridge case engaging the outer periphery of saidpiston and preventing movement of said piston and projectile under thegases generated bythe ignition of sald explosive charge until said gaspressure is great enough to cause the piston to flatten out said annulardepression in said cartridge case.

5. In the combination of claim 1, the additional feature of a diaphragmsealing the front end of said cartridge case.

6. In the combination of claim 4, the additional features of a secondannular depression in said cartridge case and shoulder at the forwardend of said cartridge case for the purpose of securing said cushioningmeans in position.

7. In a device of the class described, in combination; a projectile; apowder charge; a piston adapted to impart motion to said projectile uponignition of said powder charge and provided at its forward end with ahole; attaching means normally rigidly securing said projectile to saidpiston and closing said piston hole but arranged to permit thedetachment of said projectile from said piston upon retarding the motionof said piston relative to said projectile; and a cartridge caseenclosing said parts.

8. In the combination of claim 7, the additional feature of causing thedetachment of said projectile to open said hole in said piston to permitthe throttled escape of gases from said cartridge case.

9. In a device of the class described, a powder charge; a projectile; apiston adapted to impart motion to said projectile upon the ignition ofsaid powder charge; and a cartridge case enclosing said parts andprojecting forward beyond the forward end of said projectile and actingas a guiding means for said piston while said piston is in motion.

10. In the combination of claim 9, the ad-' ditional feature of adiaphragm sealing the forward end of said cartridge case.

11. In the combination of claim 9, the added feature of a holdersurrounding said cartridge case to prevent it from bursting,

upon the ignition of said powder charge.

' 12. In a device of the class described, a powder charge; a projectile;a piston adapted to impart motion to said powder charge: a cartridgecase enclosing said parts and projecting forward beyond the forward endof said projectile and acting as a guiding means for said piston whilein motion; and a cushioning device secured in the forward end of saidcase to retard and arrest the motion of said piston but arranged topermit the passage of said projectile.

13. In the combination of claim 12, the additional feature of a holdersurrounding and supporting said case and provided with a restrictedopening in its forward end to permit the passage of said projectile butforming asupport for the forward end of said case and cushioning deviceupon impact of said piston upon said cushioning means.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State ofNew-York, this 15th day of January A. D. 1921.

BRADFORD B. HOLMES.

